The Central KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Compact, South Africa A platform fostering multi-level governance for climate change Created in 2014, the Central KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Compact (Compact KZN) is a unique model of collaboration between cities of different sizes in the region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This platform fosters both the vertical (across different levels of government) and horizontal (across different organisations at the same government level) integration of climate change governance in South Africa. ICLEI Case Studies February 2020 Summary Compact KZN demonstrates that regional platforms for climate change are key places to foster cooperation between actors from different levels of government and different sectors in South Africa. The sharing of existing good practices that distinguishes this kind of cooperation supports the objective of the Urban-LEDS II project, which is to enhance multi-level climate change governance in all pilot countries. This case study provides an in-depth look at the institutional arrangements, effectiveness, and replicability of one such example in South Africa. Ultimately, this case study is intended to be a valuable resource for other governments looking to implement institutional arrangements that support multi-level governance for climate action. Facts & Figures Definitions Creation January 2014 Multi-level climate change governance: refers to the ways in which different tiers of government work together to achieve their climate objectives. It is the mix Municipal budget of policies, laws, mandates, finance, dialogue, reporting, coordination and eThekwini (Durban), Msunduzi, capacity that govern how climate change response is implemented at all tiers of uGu, iLembe District government and across all sectors. It encompasses both vertical and horizontal Municipality, KwaDukuza, integration of climate change. uMgungundlovu, uMngeni, Ugu, uMhlathuze, Umdoni, Hibiscus Vertical Integration: refers to actor-to-actor interactions across different Coast and uMshwati Local governance levels, encompassing local, regional, and national governments Municipalities. within the same state, but also supra-national and international scales such as the UNFCCC climate regime. Vertical interactions are a two-way street that can be top-down (i.e. the national and subnational levels will need to empower the local level and encourage local level climate action) or bottom-up (i.e. the local level in turn will need to report on its actions in such a way that it can be incorporated into consolidated national-level NDC reporting, which can then be shared globally). Horizontal Integration: refers to actor-to-actor interactions at the same governance level, such as national sector forums, regional governance bodies, and bilateral city-to-city cooperation agreements, as well as transnational local government networks. Birth and rise of compact KZN In 2011, the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Durban, South Africa. On this occasion, more than 700 delegates came together, with the support of ICLEI, to sign the Durban Adaptation Charter (DAC). One of the direct outcomes of the adoption of this Charter was the creation, in January 2014, of a subnational climate change partnership: the Central KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Compact (Compact KZN) in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Inspired by the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact located in the Fort Lauderdale, USA, Compact KZN involves several municipalities that are neighbours to eThekwini Municipality. Inspired by the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact located in the Fort Lauderdale, USA, Compact KZN involves several municipalities that are neighbours to eThekwini Municipality. The objective of this The Durban Adaptation Charter (DAC) was the historic outcome of the Durban Local Government Convention held in Durban, South Africa, in December 2011, platform is to: during the course of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). • promote a subnational collaborative approach to climate change action, It was unanimously adopted by over 700 high-level delegates from around the especially adaptation; world. The DAC commits signatories to ten principles of best adaptation practice that encourage: mainstreaming adaptation as a key informant of all local create a • government development planning; understanding climate risks through knowledge-exchange hub at the regional level conducting impact and vulnerability assessments; preparing and implementing involving local and integrated, inclusive and long-term local adaptation strategies designed to national research reduce vulnerability; ensuring that adaptation strategies are aligned with institutions; and mitigation strategies, promote the use of adaptation that recognises the needs of vulnerable communities and ensures sustainable local economic development, • promote capacity-building etc. and knowledge-exchanges in Since the signing of the DAC in 2011, eThekwini Municipality, as the Charter the field of climate Secretariat, has driven the implementation of the DAC, which has resulted in the change amongst its development of the Hub and Compact approach for implementation. The Hub members (DAC, annual and Compact approach essentially describes a network of networks engaging in report, 2017). collaborative climate change adaptation action. In practice, Compact KZN convenes at quarterly meetings organised successively by the different members of the Compact. The attendees comprise the technical staff of all member cities, specifically officials from the energy, climate change, economic development, environmental management and planning departments, as well as political leaders, from time to time. Since its inception, Compact KZN has convened more than 20 meetings with a sustained participation from the municipalities. These meetings provide members with the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences in the field of climate change, to engage in discussions around the challenges they encounter in implementing climate action and to discuss potential joint activities. 2 ICLEI Case Study - No. , February, 2020, KZN A lab for vertical integration Compact KZN is a unique platform on the continent that enables collaboration between the three levels of government – local, provincial and national – on climate change issues in South Africa. The local and provincial levels of government collaborate through the Steering Committee. Established in 2017, this committee consists of metropolitan (eThekwini), district (iLembe, uGu and uMgungundlovu) and local (Msunduzi) municipalities, as well as provincial offices of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG), and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). Engagements between the local and national levels occur, for example, through direct interactions between Compact KZN and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), notably on initiatives such as the Cities Resilience Forum. The communication between the different tiers of government is also facilitated by eThekwini. Crucially, this carries the voice of smaller municipalities to the national level. A lab for horizontal integration Member cities of Compact KZN decided to join forces in order to: • build each other’s technical capacity to mainstream climate change • undertake joint research that benefits several cities in the region • access funding to implement climate projects and activities • increase the visibility of their climate action at the international level Climate change mainstreaming. During the meetings, Compact KZN members share technical knowledge on climate change planning and project implementation. These meetings help cities to find solutions to overcome challenges and replicate good practices. These meetings also play a key role in mainstreaming climate change into municipal policies and strategies, as illustrated by an electronic survey conducted amongst members in January 2017. ‘[Compact KZN] has allowed for the inclusion and consideration of climate change and related issues into almost every facet of our work and that of other departments within the municipality (conservation, water, waste, policy development and implementation, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure, health, electricity, building control)” - Cherise Harris, Msunduzi Municipality. City-to-city cooperation under the Urban-LEDS II project Through the first phase of the Urban-LEDS project, KwaDukuza Municipality developed Green Building Guidelines to outline how buildings can take into account climate change considerations and limit other harmful environmental impacts of buildings and construction. After learning about KwaDukuza’s guidelines through Compact KZN, Msunduzi Municipality undertook a similar process and developed its own green building guidelines. Collaboration with research institutions. Compact KZN has progressively become a platform that facilitates knowledge- exchanges between research institutions and cities. The Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), a consortium of over 800 individuals dedicated to analyse climate change mitigation and adaptation from an urban perspective, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with eThekwini Municipality, in 2013. As such, researchers of the KwaZulu-Natal region have since